However, for those that missed it, this Sony Computer Entertainment page mentions all of the open-source software used by the production PlayStation 4. On that web-page, the FreeBSD Kernel is listed along with some of the other FreeBSD software components.

While there's this open-source software on hand, and Sony does comply with the licensing, the PlayStation 4 is still not a very open console. For Linux gamers interested in an open-friendly game console, the best bet is surely with Steam Machines running the Debian-based SteamOS.

Michael Larabel is the principal author of Phoronix.com and founded the web-site in 2004 with a focus on enriching the Linux hardware experience and being the largest web-site devoted to Linux hardware reviews, particularly for products relevant to Linux gamers and enthusiasts but also commonly reviewing servers/workstations and embedded Linux devices. Michael has written more than 10,000 articles covering the state of Linux hardware support, Linux performance, graphics hardware drivers, and other topics. Michael is also the lead developer of the Phoronix Test Suite, Phoromatic, and OpenBenchmarking.org automated testing software. He can be followed via Twitter and Google+ or contacted via MichaelLarabel.com.